Cantor’s remarks criticized

WASHINGTON—House Majority Leader Eric Cantor endured criticism this week when he said aid to Joplin in the aftermath of the devastating tornado would be offset by budget cuts.

Cantor, R-Va., told reporters Monday “if there is support for a supplemental” appropriation, “it would be accompanied by support for having pay-fors to that supplemental.”

Today, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., directed some of her words to Cantor in a Senate floor speech reporting what she had witnessed touring the tornado wreckage.

“With all due respect to Congressman Cantor, I have a hard time believing that if this were in his congressional district, he would be talking about how additional disaster relief would not be available unless we found some other programs to take it from,” she said.

“It must be available. This must not be a political football. We must provide the assistance. That’s what federal tax dollars are for, is to provide assistance when there is no assistance available to communities and states because of the wrath of Mother Nature,” she added.

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., also responded to Cantor, his former deputy in the House GOP leadership.

“We need to prioritize spending, and this needs to be a priority,” Blunt said, speaking in Joplin yesterday. “I’m sure Eric will help find the necessary offsets.”